CAS gives Priamo a four-year ban

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has handed Italian cyclist Matteo Priamo a four-year ban for supplying Cera to his former CSF teammate Emmanuelle Sella, an official source has said.

The Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) took the case to the CAS on an appeal after he was exonerated by Italy's national anti-doping tribunal last January.

Sella received a reduced one-year suspension 11 months ago after admitting his guilt and agreeing to cooperate with authorities. Sella named Priamo as his supplier, continuing a positive trend that has seen several cyclists come forward with information about their doping activities.

The CAS ruling said CONI was able to "sufficiently establish" that Priamo had violated two articles of the World Anti-Doping Code regarding administration and possession of a banned substance to an athlete.

Sella tested positive in July last year shortly after winning three stages of the Giro d'Italia.

Priamo, 27, has had the start of his suspension effective as of February 27.

The Italian won a stage of the 2008 Giro at Peschici, where he dedicated the win to Argentine teammate Maximiliano Richeze, who had tested positive for a banned substance just days earlier.